Sigroganan Tales: The Thief's Greatest Treasure
by Ryu-Kazuki
Summary: The origin story for Shikari Adeos. Learn her past from the tragic moment of her mother's death to who she came to be now.


Disclaimer: The concept of Sigrogana Legend belongs to Neus (Devourer of Souls). The story and the characters contained within belong to myself, unless otherwise specified.

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><p>The midst of an open prairie along the country side. Luscious green grass that dances with the breeze of the whispering winds. The vastness and majesty of such provides a beautiful landscape with its flourishing and colorful wildflowers. The perfect location chosen as comfort zone in the heart of a young girl. A place where she can laugh and play to her heart's extent until the day is no more.<p>

Not a moment's pass breaks the silence before abruptly the girl begins to laugh and joyously express her happiness. She scurries around the field in pursuit, hands extended and reaching out so eagerly as she frolics. Ever so determined as she leaps excitedly and attempts to pounce or catch once again a lone butterfly that flutters above her. Through her plight to capture the creature, she calls out to it, as if to challenge it. "Hey! Stop running, I'm going to capture you whether you like it or not!"

No matter how hard the task, the young girl continues to waft through the grass. Such a heartwarming sight to see a girl the age of six taking the time to enjoy the precious gift of life she'd been given. The sight of it all made the child's mother observing from the distance smile and chuckle lightly to herself. Nothing could be more valuable than that. It was beyond priceless.

Finally, after a long struggle, the butterfly was no longer a problem. It had become the girl's captive as was now at her mercy. But even though victory belonged to the young half-cat daemon, she was gentle and kind. She held the insect calmly, but firmly enough to keep it from escaping. She only smiled to herself as she stroked its wings ever so tenderly to pet it out of her own amusement.

"Look mommy!" she exclaimed, proudly displaying her prize to her mother as she approached. Even with all that effort, her light-yellow sun dress was hardly stained, the more to brag about perhaps. Though the accomplishment of her success was enough to sway her tail from side to side.

Her mother slowly reached out and lightly pat her on the head, playfully ruffling the girl's blond hair that matched her own. "That's nice Shikari, but you shouldn't catch butterflies. They're wonderful to look at but it's bad for them to come into contact with us." She looked to the girl as she spoke softly, taking her hand and stroking the girl's hair gently.

"Huh?! Why not? I wasn't going to harm it. Honest!" Shikari pouted to her mother with sadness in her eyes. She curled inward, assuming she had done wrong while holding the butterfly close to her to prevent it from flying away so she wouldn't lose it.

"I understand. But touching a butterfly is bad for them, there's always a possibility we could damage its wings or put it into shock. Something as severe as that might kill it. You wouldn't want to do that, would you?" her mother knelt next to her as she informed the child once she was near her level of height.

Shikari hesitated a moment in pause. Her eyes solemnly narrowed before she opened them fully once more shaking her head. "No. I don't want to do that. I like the butterfly. It's my friend."

Gently her mother reached out and helped Shikari open her hand to release the butterfly. "Then we should let it go and be on its way. It may not be like us, but it has a life too, and all living creatures deserve to live their lives. Each and every life is precious." The woman paused before looking to her daughter and smiling brightly. "Like you. The most precious treasure a thief could ever wish for. You're irreplaceable, and you're the most valuable thing in my life. And you always will be." Ever so swiftly the woman swooped her arms around her child as her own tail curled around her as well. "I love you, Shikari."

Shikari returned the hug to her mother eagerly, tightly wrapping her arms around her mother's torso with what strength she could muster. "I love you too mommy!" She exclaimed happily, nuzzling her face in her mother's side as comfort. She held on as tight as she could, almost as if never wanting to let go of the warmth her mother gave her, physically or emotionally.

Her mother released her after a moment and stood, carefully taking the child's hand into her own. "Come along. We should return home before you father does. You can play outside while I'm inside preparing supper. Just behave yourself and mind your manners. You wouldn't want to be the example of an improper lady, would you?"

Shikari shook her head sternly, agreeing with her mother. "No. No ma'am I would not! I shall behave properly and do exactly what you ask. Promise!"

Her mother smiled, acknowledging Shikari's words and expecting them to be fulfilled. "Excellent, I'll hold you to it then! Now, let's be off." Her mother tugged at the link between their hands lightly as she began to lead the girl off.

The two traveled along the countryside which was a brief walk home from the field. Once they arrived Shikari's mother went inside their small, cozy home as she watched Shikari from a window in the kitchen to keep a watchful eye over her while she prepared their evening meal. She couldn't help but smile as she focused on the girl and her imaginative activities. That girl truly was the greatest treasure a thief could have obtained.

An hour passed before a carriage arrived along the dirt path in front of the abode. A man with brown hair, dressed in a more proper attire exited the steed powered vehicle. He approached the driver and handed the man a tip before turning away and walking towards the house as the carriage pulled away and rode off into the distance.

The arrival brought attention to Shikari. Her childish giggles disrupted by the man who approached, though she immediately regained her composure before gasping in joy and running to him, aiming to throw her arms around his. "Daddy!" she exclaimed, sharing her affection with her father in combination with the limitless amount of love in her heart she had for everyone.

The man paused on his stroll. He hesitated abruptly. Giving a quick glance to Shikari, he gave her a moment of his attention, though his expression seemed tense and void of compassion. Without a second thought, he pat the girl on the head for a few seconds and looked back towards the house.

Shikari took a moment of pause, unfathomably confused. Her father was troubled, it was extremely unlike him not to even gave the child even a word of notice. Sympathetically, the girl felt troubled as well. She waited until he disappeared inside before stalking him worriedly. Curious and concerned, the young girl with such a large heart felt compelled to make everyone happy again. That's all she could have ever asked for.

Shikari's father announced his arrival after becoming comfortable with his surroundings. "Alice, I'm home." He proclaimed to make his wife aware of his return. After he shed his suit, he began moving towards the kitchen.

"Oh, you're home already darling?" Alice called whilst still working. "I hadn't expected you home until later. I at least hope you're hungry. I'm making your favorite, Jacob."

Jacob gave no reply as he approached her. His expression retained it's emptiness, her words seeming to be unable to phase his troubles. Though, as he came closer, his steps became more hesitant. He continued to trudge across the wooden floor, slowly reaching Alice.

Shikari peered around from the corner, quietly. She couldn't let herself be spotted as she scouted the situation. Every moment of information her eyes received it was then sent to her brain to comprehend and assess the situation. Though, there was only so much a child could do when faced against something so unfamiliar.

Jacob came ever so close to his wife. He was nearly at her exact position as his brows furrowed into a twisted glare. Swiftly, he drew a dagger from his sleeve and set it against Alice's neck. Not another moment passed before he sliced the blade along her throat and stabbed her in the back before harshly kicking her to the floor to watch her die before him. With his cold eyes he spoke to her in malice, "No one can escape justice. Your punishment was quick and painless, be grateful. I wished you to hang in front of the town of your birth to show those who break the law a fine example of their fate. You chose to be a thief throughout your life and that's all you will remain. You are free to die with your consequences." Satisfied with himself, Jacob gave a sigh filled with pride. "It took me years and many sacrifices, but I was able to fool The Swift Shadow and finally bring her to justice."

Alice shuddered heavily as she lie on the floor in her own blood. Her body convulsed as she gasped for air. Though, even in her last moments she wasn't focused on herself, rather than her family. She slowly turned her head to Jacob, a horrified look upon her face as she tried to mutter, but could only lip the question, "Why?" Afterward with what energy she could muster, she looked to her daughter, shedding a single tear before the pain was unbearable and she curled inward, still twitching every now and again as her life neared its end.

Shikari gasped, her heart was suddenly torn asunder. Her eyes began to flood with tears. "Mommy!" she screamed, running towards the direction of her fallen mother.

Jacob snapped back from his corrupted daze. His expression stiffened as he gripped the dagger firmly. It was time. He spent all these years to accomplish his task, but it still wasn't entirely finished. He turned to Shikari, causing her to flinch and stagger back while in the middle of her dash to Alice's side. Jacob stared, he had no choice regardless of how he felt, and that lead to the confirmation of his soullessness. With his cold, dead eyes he spoke to himself once more, knowing what he had to do. "Now.. it's about time I disposed of the all the evidence."

The time was nigh. If Jacob didn't kill his own daughter quickly, she would easily escape and alert the authorities of his cold and brutish actions. He raised the bloody dagger he had just slaughtered his wife with and stepped towards her ominously, ready to strike if she aimed to flee. The cost was too high if he let her run. This was the inevitable.

"Why..." Shikari whispered with almost nothing left in her soul. "Why did you do that to mommy?! You killed her!" Shikari screamed in a mixture of burning hatred and pain. "She didn't do anything to deserve that!"

Jacob scoffed, bearing the still icy glare that he had been. "I would expect no less from a child so attached to her mother. You were everything to her, and since she resigned from thievery she focused all her attention on you." He paused, watching her as if to anticipate her next move. "You know nothing of your mother before you birth. She was a criminal, a thief. Her entire life was devoted to nothing but wrong.." He would say, before an interjection from the girl.

"You're lying! Stop speaking ill of my mommy!" the child shouted. She backed away as her father approached her, looking for a route to escape. With a quick glance, she spotted one of the knives Alice had been preparing the family meal with. She grabbed it and turned to Jacob who took notice of this and charged her.

"You would not understand, and would have just followed in her footsteps one day. It was as inevitable as her death. For that, you will be sent to Hell along with her!" Jacob's brows knitted together into a glare as he ran towards her. He drew the dagger back and readied his strike. Just as he aimed to drive the weapon down on the girl, she screamed. A moment afterward he felt a sharp pain in his torso that caused him to stop immediately.

Shikari was standing below him, inches away. She stared at the floor, releasing heavy shivering gasps every moment or so, refusing to open her clenched eyes. The silence was unbearable, but it was just as difficult to fight the fear that prevented her from looking at her surroundings. She broke though for only a moment after feeling something fall onto her face, looking up to see her father standing over her bleeding from the knife she'd driven into him out of instinct. In her moment of fear, she had stabbed her father with a large knife by driving it with the force of both of her small hands.

Jacob shuddered moderately, dropping his dagger to the floor. His eyes widened as he staggered backwards, looking down to his wound. His charge had allowed the knife to easily pierce him, and he knew this was his end. He continued back as he began to weaken until he finally toppled over and crashed along the floor near Alice's body.

Shikari dropped the knife suddenly as her body began to shiver. A small whimper escaped from her lips while her eyes flooded with tears. The overwhelming tension of this event wrecked her heart and mind. Shikari began sobbing over the loss of both of her parents.

Her tears subsided as her cries became silent. She gently rubbed away the sadness from her face. The sudden devastation was lifted, and her mind wandered to the fact... she miraculously survived, unscathed even. Shikari looked over the scene, and smiled. A twisted, mischievous smile that molded over her face, matching along side her now dead eyes.

"Very funny mommy..." She said, finally breaking the brief silence. "I'll play along with your game. You're not dead after all... you're just trying to teach me a lesson." Her grin became even wider. "They can't hurt me... they won't diminish the value of your most prized possession." Her eyes drifted to the body of her father. She began to approach it after picking her knife up from the floor. As she came closer, she laughed, a rather sinister laughter that was void of all the love and emotion she once displayed.


End file.
